Young people too fat to protect U.S.

William Atkins
Wednesday, 21 April 2010 23:11

Science - Health

According to a group of retired military leaders, obesity problems with our youth are threatening the ability of the military to protect the United States of America. We are too fat to join the military.

The April 20, 2010 USA Today article Facing unfit recruits, military leaders target food in schools, states, 'The obesity epidemic is threatening national security, so schools '” which are on the front lines in battling the problem '” need to boot out junk food and serve healthier snacks and meals, a group of retired military leaders is announcing today.'

This group of retired military officers have joined together in Mission: Readiness, Military Leaders for Kids, an organization that is highlighting the increasing problem of finding qualified young adults to serve in the military.

On Tuesday, April, 20, 2010, these retired military leaders, along with U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (Rep.-Indiana) and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, released new findings on the dramatic increase of obesity among young adults age 17 to 24 years and its negative consequences towards U.S. national security.

This dramatic increase in obesity within our young people is reducing the numbers of young adults that are eligible to serve in the military.

And, it is an alarming trend that is threatening the ability of the United States to protect itself militarily from our adversaries in foreign countries and here at home.

The group states that about 25% of young adults, 17 to 24 years of age are unqualified to serve in the military because they are overweight or obese (extremely overweight).

Other problems coming out of this group's concern within young adults and their unqualified reasons to serve in the military is not having a high school education, having a criminal record, or having medical problems (which is often related to being overweight or obese).

Page two continues the story on Mission: Readiness and their fight to slim down our young people.